


Dust to Dust

by absinthefae



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Accidental Death, F/M, Ghosts, Mentions of Death, Mentions of Suicide, Suicide
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-23
Updated: 2015-12-23
Packaged: 2018-05-08 14:56:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,986
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5501969
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/absinthefae/pseuds/absinthefae
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>You died long ago. Yet this boy makes your still heart sing. The only problem, he doesn't know you're dead.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dust to Dust

**Author's Note:**

> Story Contains Mentions of Death and Suicide, Please Read at Your Own Risk!

You know, there’s a few things they don’t tell you about dying young. Even though you don’t have a physical form anymore, you’re still there for every single day. You watch your friends and colleagues grow up and graduate from high school, watch new students show up, and then eventually they make their way to adulthood as well. But you stay the same. And you can’t even walk through walls either. That’s a big lie, a big fat one. And you’re just as pissed as anyone else about it, it’s just you and a bunch of other people who died on campus stuck there for what could quite possibly be eternity without half an idea of how to escape.

Now, you’re probably wondering just how you died. To be frank, it was a bad day. And it was an accident. The rain didn’t sprinkle down from the sky, it was absolutely pouring. You almost couldn’t look out a window without becoming soaked. What were you doing up there? Feeling really sorry for yourself. You were a third year at Karasuno, and you had just gotten the letter that the college of your dreams rejected you. It was the only one you applied to. You had studied so hard and had such hope that they would welcome you with open arms. Only to receive that slim envelope in the mail, free of any pamphlets or maps of the campus. It just had a solitary letter, telling you how sorry they were that they wouldn’t be accepting you.  
On top of that, your boyfriend had been accepted. And he fully planned on attending without you. You couldn’t blame him really, if things were reversed you were positive you would have done the same. But along with telling him he had been accepted, and learning that you had not, he broke up with you. After all, one never knew what sort of opportunities were around the corner at some fancy shmancy college. Be it a spot on the Dean’s list, or some sorority girl.  
You sat in the rain. It made you feel better about everything, just letting every ounce of your angst and disappointment run down your body to the gutter. It was purifying, even if it meant you would be sick for a few days. At that point, you didn’t even really care about getting sick. Getting to stay home in bed for a few days, what a tragedy. You took out your handkerchief to wipe the water from your face when a gust of wind blew it from your fingertips. “Oh no.” You groaned as you stood, making your way to the railing that surrounded the edges of the roof. You could have sworn you held on tightly, but rain had a way of making things slippery. You had just grabbed onto the now sopping piece of fabric when you felt yourself begin to fall. You turned to try and grab onto it with your other hand but it was just out of your grasp, and continued to grow further and further away.  
It was as though the very gods themselves were watching your descent, for as you hit the pavement a great clap of thunder shook the world. The splash of red was gone as quickly as it arrived. You were left flawless on the pavement, features composed. And it wasn’t until clubs began to leave that you were discovered.

The soles of your school shoes were silent on the floor as you slipped and slid through the gymnasium. Classes were over and club had yet to begin. You continued as you heard the door open. After all, you were invisible. You twirled as you skidded across the floor, which was very easy when you didn’t create any friction.  
Upon seeing that it was a girl in the gym, presumably ditching, Nishinoya clammed up. He hadn’t seen you before, but you had to be at least a second year with how comfortable you seemed. He cleared his throat before calling out, “Uh, hey! S-Sorry, but you’re gonna have to leave. We have practice here in a few.”  
You skidded promptly into a wall before looking around, rubbing where your forehead made contact. That’s another thing about being dead they don’t tell you. Since you don’t have a body you think you wouldn’t feel pain, right? Totally wrong. If anything you feel it more because it’s your soul feeling it. There wasn’t anyone else in the gym. When you looked back, you saw that the spiky haired boy was looking right at you. “Um, my bad!” You called out, not used to talking to anyone anymore. You got to your feet and rushed out of the gym before he could utter another word.  
Nishinoya looked at your retreating figure with curiosity as you strode away. Something in the back of his mind recognized you. But he couldn’t put a pin in it. He just shrugged. Maybe he’d ask Ryu when he showed up.

Your heart was racing, or rather it would have, when you rushed away. No one had ever seen you before. Or maybe they did and all ignored you? No, no way. You knew for a fact that you were invisible to all things living. But why did that boy see you, talk to you?  
As the building cleared out you strode through the halls, wondering if you’d find a picture from his club. They used the gym, so it was a sport. And that counted out soccer and baseball. You brushed off the idea of anything relating to any sort of pep squad. That only left basketball and volleyball. But the boy was a shrimp!  
You looked at the pictures that hung in the hall, next to the various awards the school had gotten. Looking at things from the past, it was clear that the volleyball team used to really be great. After a few moments you found him from last year’s picture. The description below said their names. “...Nishinoya Yuu.” You muttered with a tilt of your head. “Huh.”

He seemed to look for you. During the day you hid on the roof, which was a little sick when you really thought about it. I mean, you died from falling from up there. But somehow it held some comfort for you. Plus no one came up there except during lunch. You stood by the edge and let the wind blow your hair out in front of you, hands firmly around the railing. It was dry and there was no risk in falling. Well, there was no consequence either really. You hummed a song you heard on the radio, commenting to yourself how despite how catchy music was nowadays, it kind of sucked.  
Nishinoya walked with a few friends during the lunch period. It was near the end and the roof had cleared out. Yet when he looked up he saw your silhouette teetering on the edge. His jaw dropped and the remainder of his soda popsicle fell to the concrete. “Shit.” He muttered, “I’ll, uh, see you guys in class! I left something in my gym bag.” He called to his friends as he ran with all the speed of a well trained libero. He took the stairs up to the roof three at a time and burst through the door, chest heaving as he looked around. You stood on the corner of the building, hands behind you holding on tightly. A particularly strong gust of wind caused your body to arch out, the fabric of a kite against a tumultuous gale. He hurried forward and caught you by the wrist.  
You turned around quickly, letting go of the other side. You were surprised he could touch you. Most people, they just walked through you with all the resistance of walking through a heavy mist. But his hand around you felt solid and strong.  
“Are you an idiot or something?!” He cried out, practically lifting you back onto the safe side of the roof. You stared at him in shock and awe.  
“I...sorry.” You said, stepping away on shaky legs.  
“Don’t apologize to me! You could have died!” He scolded, red faced. You suddenly realized how it would seem to someone alive. Like you had some sort of death wish. You swallowed thickly, biting back a chuckle because it was a little late for that.  
“Ahem, you’re right. I was just feeling the wind and got carried away, is all.” You said with a small apologetic grin.  
He stood there and huffed before sighing, then pointing a finger in your face. “Promise you’ll be more careful.”  
You chuckled and swatted at his hand. “Okay, okay I promise.”

Although Nishinoya never saw you in the hall or any of the classrooms or speaking with an advisor, he always found you on the roof. He began to wonder if you just came to school to ditch. He soon found himself opting to spend his lunches with you. He would eat a Gari Gari Kun or some other thing he picked up on the way to school and you simply sat and feasted upon your conversation. It felt as though, with every passing day that he sought you out, you fell more and more in love with him.  
Of course, the moment he left to rush to class in the final 30 seconds before the bell, you tried to convince yourself otherwise. But the moment he came into your sight you positively lit up.

“Hey, hey (y/n).” He said as he sat next to you one evening. He didn’t have practice, one of the rare breaks from the club, and chose to stay with you. He figured he’d walk you home, make his affections known and maybe get a kiss at your doorstep.  
“Hrm?” You looked at him, arms resting on your raised knees.  
“Let’s go on a date!” He said eagerly. He could already imagine it. Movies, to the beach, amusement park. But any romantic thoughts came to a screeching halt when he saw your face drop.  
“Oh Yuu…” You said softly. He looked at you in disbelief. Had he misread a signal? He was so sure you liked him.  
“W-Was I too soon? Did I come on too strong?”  
“No, no. It’s not that. I like you a lot Yuu. A lot, a lot.” You said and he took your hands in his. They were small but exuded warmth.  
“Then what is it? Whatever it is I can change it, or we can together!”  
You got to your feet and began to lead him down from the roof. “Come on. I’ll show you.” Your voice was soft. If only he had been born earlier, if only you had known him back when you were alive and had the chance to make him happy, start a family together if things went that far.  
His hand was tight around yours as he walked with the seriousness of a soldier. What could you possibly show him that would make him change his mind? He wanted to date you, he was pretty sure he even loved you. You were much of what he thought about during the day, and during practice he liked to pretend you were there watching and cheering him on.  
You came to a stop in front of a wall. The frame was shiny from cleanings, the picture slightly sun bleached but you were still very much there, an arm wrapped around your best friend’s shoulder. You stood on your toes and took the frame down from the wall, looking it over for a second before handing it to him.  
He took it and turned it around to see it properly. He saw you beaming into the camera, flashing a peace sign and a bright smile. Then, he read the caption.  
‘In memory of (l/n) (f/n) who left us far too soon’  
Typed beneath your name was the various clubs and activities you had been a part of, your class ranking. His eyes found the year of your death, nearly ten years ago. His hands shook and you took back the frame, hanging it up and keeping your back to him.  
“You can’t be dead...I love you.” He said, speaking the words aloud.  
“Don’t. I can’t do anything for you, Yuu. We couldn’t go on dates, you’d grow up and leave me behind. I can’t even leave the school grounds.” You lightly shook your head and pressed your hands to your face, wiping away tears that would never fall.  
“I love you.” He repeated as he walked forward and hugged you tightly from behind. How could you be dead when you felt so solid against him. He repeated the words like a mantra as he held you to his chest. “If you were dead how could I touch you..?” He tilted your head and his lips met yours. They seemed so soft compared to how your own must feel, but you could feel his kiss through every fiber left in your being, down to your fingertips. Even when the kiss broke he held you close, muttering into your ear, “Do you love me?”  
You sighed and nodded. Even if it left you ruined for eternity, you couldn’t deny it anymore. “Yes. I do. I love you.”

The rain was so heavy, like it was on that day. You should have taken it was a foreboding prediction, but you simply shrugged and stayed under the lip of the building behind you, maintaining as much dryness as possible. The bell chimed, class had already started. You simply wet your finger and doodled on the dry wall. Lunch wasn’t for a while, you weren’t even sure if Nishinoya wanted to come up and see you again. Not now that he knew the truth.  
You jumped when the door burst open, colliding with the wall as the figure hurried through the entryway and took you by your hands, pulling you to your feet. “Yuu?! What are you doing you should be in class!”  
He pulled you into a warm hug, his voice somehow light and serious at the same time. “I decided I want to be with you (y/n).” He said as he took your hand, walking to the railing. For a fraction of a second you saw yourself falling and every bit of you ran cold as ice. You tugged your hand from his, both of you soaked to the bone.  
“Yuu, you can’t be serious. You can’t…” You looked at the ledge.  
“Why not? I love you. Really! I’ve never felt this way about anyone before. Not even Shimizu-senpai!”  
“Why not?! Your family is why! Your friends! Volleyball, you could go to college on a scholarship. You could play all over the world.”  
“I don’t want any of it if I can’t have you with me.” He shook his head, his spiked hair falling flat on his head, falling into his eyes. He brushed it off impatiently and grabbed your arms. “I don’t care about it if you can’t be there.”  
Rain dripped down your cheeks like tears and you shook your head. “Don’t do it Yuu, I’m just not worth it. You have an entire life ahead of you, you don’t know who you’ll meet!”  
“I have you, and that’s good enough.” He pulled you into a kiss that was fierce before hopping over the edge of the railing, glancing back at you with that million dollar smile.  
“Yuu, don’t you dare! Think about your future! You’ll be stuck here forever.” You grabbed onto his arm, the way he had when he thought he was saving you from a fate already set in stone.  
“(y/n), I know. I’ve thought about it all night. I know I’ll be leaving my friends and family behind. But I don’t to have to leave you behind.” He shook his head, droplets of water flinging away from his loose locks. He gathered both of your hands in his and pressed a long kiss to your forehead before pushing himself away.  
All of the school looked around in curiosity, for your scream penetrated through the barrier separating your realm and their own. You watched him fall until his body seized as it made contact with the ground. You sprinted down the stairs, loose papers fluttering in the air in your wake. “Yuu, oh god why?!” You sobbed as you ran. Before you could see his body, his soul grabbed onto you and held you tightly, sparing you from the sight. You collapsed against him, knees in the mud as you beat against his chest. “You idiot, you big idiot!” You said, shoulders shaking to the point where it hurt. His grip was a vice against you, and you could feel him running his fingers through your hair and shushing you, trying to calm your hysterics. “You’re gonna regret this.” You mumbled against the fabric of his shoulder, throat too hoarse for more than a whisper.  
“No. I won’t.”

The pair of you sat on the edge of the roof, watching as the third years left the school, bidding each other farewell with tearful goodbyes. You nudged him as a pair of boys, one with fiery orange hair and the other with locks devoid of any color, left amongst the crowd. “C’mon, how are you still mad?” He said as he pulled you close to his side, squishing his cheek against yours. “Time heals all wounds, right?”  
You chuckled at his nuzzle before giving him a weak glare. “Give me another eighty or so years and I’ll be completely fine.”  
“That’s forever from now!” He exclaimed, falling back against the roof with a small thud. You looked at him over your shoulder before situating yourself next to him. He looped an arm around your waist and looked down adoringly. “Whatever, we have forever together anyways.”


End file.
